Combined package of articles and package opening and article ejecting means



June 13, 1961 J. A. PARRILLA 2,988,209

COMBINED PACKAGE OF ARTICLES AND PACKAGE OPENING AND ARTICLE EJECTING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 10, 1957 INVENTOR. Jo/zn A. Pd/FZZZQ Mu rm, Z LdCZ X Daniels (3 Marc/L ATTORNEYS June 13, 1961 J. A. PARRILLA 2,933,209

COMBINED PACKAGE OF ARTICLES AND PACKAGE OPENING AND ARTICLE EJECTING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. L0, 1957 INVENTOR. Jo/wz 4 A. Par/" Zia,

JQTTOPNEYJ' United States Patent E F 2,988,209 COMBINED PACKAGE F ARTICLES AND PACK- AGE OPENING AND ARTICLE EJEC'IING MEANS John A. Parrilla, 6914- 12th Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Sept. 10, 1957, Ser. No. 683,053 1 Claim. (Cl. 206- 56) This invention relates to the packaging of articles of merchandise, and more particularly to the combination with packaged articles of means for opening the package and ejecting the articles.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved combination with a package and contained plurality of stacked articles of merchandise, of a packageopening and article ejecting means by which, with but a single and simple operation on the part of a user the package may be opened and the contained articles partially ejected or shifted outward a suflicient amount to enable them to be conveniently grasped for complete removal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved combination of packaged articles of merchandisc and package opening and article ejecting means associated therewith as above set forth, wherein the opening and ejecting device may be repeatedly used for the purpose set forth, until all of the articles in the package have been removed.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved combination of stacked articles, packaging, opening and ejecting means in accordance with the foregoing, which is extremely simple in its construction while at the same time being reliable in operation at all times.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved packaging, opening and ejecting means having all of the above advantages and which is nevertheless economical to construct and adaptable to present day wrapping or packaging machines, thereby to effect a very low fabrication cost.

Other features and advantages will thereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar characters of reference are used wherever possible throughout the several views to designate like components.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a packaged plurality of stacked articles of merchandise such as sticks of chewing gum having incorporated therein the improved opening and ejecting means of the invention, the package being shown as having been opened, and just prior to the partial ejecting of the gum.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the package shown in FIG. 1, with the sticks shown as being partially ejected for the purpose of enabling convenient removal thereof.

FIG. 3 is a perspective View of a package of stacked articles such as razor blades, employing the improved opening and ejecting means of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the package shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view like FIG. 4, but showing the package as having been opened and the blades as being partially ejected for removal.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper portion of a package of stacked articles, as for example a package of chewing gum similar to that shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 6 illustrates a modification of the invention wherein the packageopening means is combined not only with the ejecting means but also with a sealing-wrapper severing means.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the package shown in FIG. 6, illustrating the removal of an end portion of the sealing wrapper and the exposing of the stacked articles prior to ejecting of the same for removal.

Patented June 13, 1961 FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another package of stacked articles of merchandise such as cotton swabs.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the package shown in FIG. 8, with an inner tray thereof being shifted to open the package, and with the swabs being shown prior to raising them for convenient removal.

FIG. 10 is a transverse sectional view of the package shown in FIG. 8, taken on the line 10-10 of this prior figure.

FIG. 11 is a transverse sectional view of a package of stacked melba toast, incorporating the improved opening and ejecting means of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the melba toast package shown in FIG. 11, illustrating the toast as being partially ejected and ready for convenient removal.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a package 20 of chewing gum, of the type containing five sticks 21 disposed broadside to each other. The package 20 is of rectangular and oblong configuration to accommodate the stacked sticks 21, and has a removable end or cover 22 intended to enclose only a small end portion of the stacked articles. The cover 2 may be hingedly secured to the package 20, or it may be provided as a separate piece, as illustrated in the figures.

Within the package 20, in accordance with the present invention, I provide a novel and improved opening and ejecting means in the form of an elongate, flexible member 24 such as a strip of tough paper, plastic, or thin woven material. The strip 24 has an anchored portion 25 which is secured to the bottom of the container 20 at the front wall thereof. The strip 24 from its anchored portion 25 extends downward at the front side of the sticks. It then extends between the bottoms of the sticks 21 and the upper surface of the container bottom 26, as shown in FIG. 2, and thereafter extends upwardly along the opposite side of the sticks to the mouth 27 of the con tainer. The opening and ejecting strip 24 thereafter extends along the inside of the cover 22, being brought forward over the top of the sticks 21, and is thereafter brought downward in front of the sticks.

The cover 22 may be advantageously secured to the strip 24 so that manipulation of the latter may be effected by merely grasping and pulling the cover. Or, the strip 24 may be manipulated by grasping the free end 28 thereof, as seen in the figures.

In the operation of the device, when the cover 22 is in place over the end portions of the stacked articles 21, the free end 28 of the ejecting strip will be exposed and projecting from the package 20. The user merely grasps the end 28 and pulls it upward, whereupon the cover 22 is removed from the package. Thereafter, a continued pull on the strip 24- will cause the articles 21 to be partially ejected, as shown in FIG. 2. The user may then conveniently grasp one of the articles for removal, whereupon the cover 22 is replaced.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 3-5 there is illustrated a package 30 of razor blades. This package has a hinged cover 31, and in accordance with the invention is provided with a novel and improved package opening and article ejecting means in the form of an elongate flexible member 3'2 having a free end 33 adapted to project from the front of the package. The member 32 has an anchored end 34 which is secured to the lower front wall portion of the container 30, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. From this anchored point, the strip 32 extends downward and thence laterally across the bottom of the stacked razor blades 36, thereafter upward and to the rear of the razor blades, then forward across the top of the stack of blades, and finally again downward so as to project as the tab 33 which may be readily grasped. In use, the projecting tab 33 is grasped and pulled upward. This first raises or opens the hinge cover 31, and thereafter it partially ejects the razor blades 36 to enable the user to easily and conveniently grasp and remove the same.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, wherein there is illustrated a package 38 containing a stack of sticks of chewing gum 21. The package 38 includes a sealing wrapper having an end portion 39 which is initially secured to the main portion of the package by a narrow joining strip 40 commonly referred to as a tear string. Within the package 38 there is provided an opening and ejecting tab 41 similar to the tab 24 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The strip 41 however is not intended to project from the exterior of the package, as in the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Instead, the ejecting strip 41 is secured to the tear string 40 in any suitable manner. In the operation of the device illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the tear string 40 is merely grasped and manipulated in the usual manner, thereby tosever the end portion 39 of the package. Thereafter, a continued pull on the tear string 40 will be transmitted to the ejecting member 41, causing the latter to be raised so as to partially eject the sticks 21 of chewing gum to provide for their convenient removal.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 8-10 there is provided a package 42 having an outer tubular portion 43 and an inner tray-like portion 44, the latter being provided with a hinged end flap 45. Within the container 42 I provide an opening and ejecting means in the form of an elongate flexible member 46 one end of which is anchored to the bottom of the tray 44. The member 46 extends under a stack of cotton swabs 48, and has a free projecting portion 49 intended to be grasped, for opening the package and ejecting the swabs contained therein. As shown in FIG. 9, when the tab 49 is grasped and pulled, it will first swing open the hinged end 45 of the container and pull the inner tray 44 partially out of the outer tubular member 43. Continued pull on the ejecting strip 46 will now raise the swabs 48 to a point where they may be readily grasped for removal.

FIGURES 11 and 12 illustrate another application of the improved package opening and article-ejecting means, to a package of melba toast. As shown, slices 50 of melba toast are packaged in a box 51 of the type having a hinged top cover 52. In the box 1 I provide an opening and ejecting means in the form of a strip 53 having an anchored end 54 which is secured to the upper front portion or panel of the box 51 as indicated. The strip 53 extends downward in front of the stack of toast, then rearward under the stack and thereafter upward along the opposite side of the stack. The strip 53 then extends forwardly across the top of the stack, and downward along the inside of the flap 55 of the hinged cover 52. The strip 53 is now folded and extends upward past the outer side of the flap 53, having a free projecting end portion 56 which may be readily grasped, It will be understood that when the free tab 56 is pulled on, it will first open the hinged cover 52 and thereafter it will raise the stack of melba toast 50, enabling the same to be easily and conveniently removed.

It will be understood from the foregoing that I have provided a novel and improved means for simultaneously opening a package of stacked articles of merchandise and thereafter partially ejecting the articles, so as to enable their convenient removal. My improved means is seen to be extremely simple in its construction while at the same time being reliable in operation. Moreover, it is inexpensive to fabricate, and may be incorporated in packages as currently produced on existing equipment.

Variations and modification of the invention may be made within the scope of the claim, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

The combination with a plurality of stacked articles of merchandise, of a combined package-opening and articleejecting means therefor comprising a container in which said stacked articles are disposed, said container having a cover removably telescoped over one end of the stacked articles and a container-opening and article-ejecting means disposed in engagement with said top closure and secured thereto, said means comprising an elongate pull strip in the form of a flexible member at one end permanently secured to a side portion of the container which is located a distance upward from the bottom thereof, said member extending downward from its secured end along one side of the articles against said side of said container to the bottom of the container, laterally across the bottoms of said articles and the bottom of the container, upward on the other side of the articles against said other side of said container and within the container, laterally across and in engagement with the underside of the said top cover to a free end disposed exteriorly of the container, said free end being adapted to be grasped and pulled, thereby to first remove the said cover and thereafter partially eject the stacked articles under which the member passes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,718,572 Marcuse June 25, 1929 1,902,963 Le Page et al Mar. 28, 1933 1,928,889 Guyer Oct. 3, 1933 2,118,849 Lindsey May 31, 1938 2,129,887 Tamarin Sept. 13, 1938 2,346,407 Wright Apr. 11, 1944 2,347,381 West Apr. 25, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 190,292 Switzerland July 1, 1937 642,831 Great Britain Sept. 13, 1950 857,778 Germany Dec. 1, 1952 1,092,516 France Nov. 10, 1954 

